The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-05-19
THE MYSTERIES OF MoRMoNisM.
The Sights Seen by a Converted Jewish
Rabbi-Places of Worship.


The Sights Seen by Converted Jewish
Rabbi-Places of Worship.
From the San Francisco Chronicle
A recent visitor of prominence to this city
is r. Wad-el-Ward, converted Jewish
rabbi, from Palestine He is perhaps fifty
years of age, and is a member of the tribe
of Levi. He has more of an Arabic cast of
features than of Hebrew, has swarthy
complexion and piercing black ewes, while
his figure is slender and wiry.
''Since my conversion to the Christian
faith, sixteen years ago." said he in perfect
English TO a reporter yesterday, Il have.
Travelled over nearly every portion of the
globe, preaching the cause of Christ and
learning the traits, customs and languages
of all nations. On my way to California l
stopped at Salt Lake City, where remained
about six weeks as the guest of some Nor
mon apostles, whom l met in Jerusalem, my
native city. | visited all of the important
places in Mormondon, stopped with the
people themselves, and learned all could /
must say that found many things which
were obnoxious to me, more especially the
latter day revelations of Joseph Smith, con-
corning the descent of the first apostles
from Joseph However the people certainly
acted in very hospitable and courteous
manner toward me. When I went there /
made up my mind TO put aside all prejudice,
and not allow anything | had ever heard
against them to interfere in any way with
my Judgment of their character and GUS
toms. | resolved to see and decide for
myself. On two occasions | met President
Taylor and John @. Cannon, who are still in
hiding from the minions of the law, as you
know. found them courteous and willing
to give me all the information which /
desired
oh +ho
certainly. They are Invariably built facing
east and west. In entering one of them you
come into corridor or outer chamber,
where you are requested to remove your
shoes. You are then led into another
chamber on the right, called the mems
department. Directly opposite is the
women's department.. Connected with these
instructed to battle yourself, for you are not
allowed to carry the dust and dirt of the
outer world into the sacred precincts of the
| temple. You are then taken into the laver
room, which is an oblong square in shape.
Here you see huge bronze font, weighing
| nearly four tons, and measuring about 10
feet long by Z feet wide. 1t is supported on
twelve bronze oxen in life size, and alto
gether is a magnificent work of art. In this
room you are baptized, either for, yourself
or for some dead relative or friend. A
Mormon, you know, can be baptized every
day, if he likes, for the good OF some dear
one in the spirit world. In the marriage
scenes, however, the baptism is for the con-
tracing parties only. Adjoining the laver
room is second bathroom of small pro-
portions, where the amounting ceremony
takes place. Your clothing, of course, is
removed, and, commencing with the crown
of your head every part and member of
your body is anointed with sacred oil. /
must admit that this was not after the
usual Hebrew manner and was naturally
very distasteful to me.
after the candidate has been anointed
the endowment robes are put on him. These
consist of combination suit of undershirt
and drawers, made in one piece, which are
to be worn by the candidate day and night,
and are never to be taken off except to be
replaced Immediately by fresh suit of the
same kind. White caps are also furnished
for the male candidates, which make them
look more like French pastry cooks than
| anything else. In addition to these, a big
apron of white linen, silk or wooden mate
| rial, with green fig leaf in 'front.' The
| women wear the same kind of robes, with
plain white overdresses and aprons of
| smaller size, but of the same shape, design
| and material as those worn by the men
When the candidates have been completely
| costumed, after the manner have described,
they are led into still another room which
| have never been in any room or garden
that so nearly resenbled my ideas of real
paradise as that one did Magnificent oil
paintings of flowers, birds, trees and every
forra of animal and vegetable life were to
be seen everywhere They were works of
art, too, that would not disgrace the walls
of any academy orr salon. Here the ceremony
of the expulsion from the Garden of Eden
occurs, after which the candidates are con-
Quoted to another room, called the world,
which is also handsomely decorated and fur
nished. | have not the time, and ! doubt if
you have the space, to give full description
of all these ceremonies, which may be
characterized as very solemn rigmaroles.
When all that have told you has been gone
through with, the party begins to ascend,
| and is taken to the room of the dead-a
perfect gem of architecture--and finer and
more elaborate than any of the chapels in
the Tag Mahal or the Alhambra. In this
room occurs the ceremony of the endowment
for eternity, or for the dead. When this is
over you are led to the last room, the holy
of holes, where you are given the grips and
signs of the Aaronic and Melchisedec priest
hoods. This rite to me was most distaste-
full"